Winner Take All
by Katlen-FO4
Summary: Warning: This story is rated MA It contains adult content and is intended for mature readers. Summary: The newest Knight aboard the Prydwen might just be a match for the two Alpha males on board. (Maxson/Danse friendship)
1. Round 1

Paladin Danse stepped out of the gym locker room first, but Elder Arthur Maxson was only two steps behind him. Their conversation had lulled as they gathered their gear to leave which was what gave Danse just enough time to put his hand to Maxson's chest and stop him in his tracks.

Without turning to his long time friend, Danse whispered with a lopsided grin, "Shh shh. Watch this."

Danse ducked his head and peered through the equipment racks as Maxson stepped up beside him and did the same.

"Isn't that our newest Knight?" Maxson asked softly, only to have Danse shush him once more. Maxson glared at him again and stepped a little closer to the rack, lifting his chin to peer over a bar that blocked his field of view.

Knight Grace Arlen was sitting on one of the benches, her hair pulled back in ponytail, strapping red ankle weights to her slim legs. Danse and Maxson both knew nearly every piece of equipment in the small gym and they both knew what the red weights meant. Three pounds of lead shot now strapped to each leg of the shortest knight on the Prydwen.

Maxson glanced at Danse, a joke on the tip of his tongue until he saw the way Danse was watching the diminutive blonde. It took a lot to impress Danse, and why he was staring at her with something akin to awe baffled the young Elder.

With a deepening frown Maxson turned his attention back to the small woman alone in the gym.

Now Grace picked up a set of sapping gloves, the twenty ounce ones, and had to wrap the bands double around her wrists for them to even hold in place. Her shoes and socks were gone, showing her small bare feet and the taped ankles that matched her taped hands.

"What the fuc-" Maxson breathed, scowling once again when Danse swatted at him distractedly.

"Watch," Danse barely breathed, grinning now and his eyes shining in a way that made Maxson even more curious.

At five feet even, Knight Arlen was already considered a joke by many of the other Knights and most of the initiates aboard the ship. Danse listened more than he spoke, so despite his large size and imposing demeanor he had a way of being overlooked in a crowded room if he so chose.

He sucked in a small surprised breath when the little blonde stood up and stripped off her fatigues, wearing a tee shirt and shorts underneath. He hadn't been expecting that. In the few times he'd noticed her down here, and stayed to watch, she had never done that before.

The shirt had to have belonged to one of the squires or she had cut it off. Either way, a smooth strip of tanned skin showed just beneath it, laying tautly over the small rises of muscle that made up her toned abdomen.

Grace rolled her head, loosening her neck, before rolling her shoulders backward then forward as she advanced on the same white canvas heavy bag he and Arthur had been hitting not 15 minutes ago. She wasn't even as tall as the mid-line of the bag, but that never slowed her onslaught.

And onslaught was exactly what Danse thought every time her saw her do this. Because Grace Arlen didn't hit the punching bag, she attacked it, not with just her hands either. The first thing she did was a forward round house kick that slammed the top of her right foot against the bag hard enough to make powder dust fly off in a small cloud.

Maxson turned to him, mouthing the word 'damn', before turning back with a grin that matched Danse's now. Grace spun again and her right heel connected to the heavy bag leaving a noticeable dent until her hands began to fly.

She hammered the bag with a staccato beat, never uttering a sound. Danse knew that would come later, but not yet. Not just yet.

You could never predict when her feet would hit, or her hands, she was moving so fast. Arthur had crossed one arm over his chest, his elbow resting on the back of his other hand, chin propped, watching her move. Danse surreptitiously shifted his weight from one hip to the other, trying to adjust himself without being too obvious about it.

After a steady twenty minutes of watching her fight the canvas bag he was fully erect. He would have been hard pressed to explain what exactly it was about Grace that fired his blood so much, but she did. Maybe it was everything about her.

He wasn't exactly surprised to notice Maxson tug the front of his own fatigues, obviously having the same problem Danse himself was trying to ignore.

"How long does she go at this pace?" Maxson asked his voice just audible under the smacks of force on canvas.

"I've seen her go for as little as 20 minutes or as long as 45," Danse sighed dreamily, still smiling.

"Fuck," Maxson said softly. "I'll jizz my shorts if she goes that long now."

"Oh," Danse chuckled knowingly, "Just wait. It gets better."

For another 10 minutes Grace battled the heavy bag silently, sweat dampening her yellow locks to brown as her hair plastered itself to her skull. Then it started.

"Grit your teeth," Danse warned Arthur with a soft chuckle as Grace's voice began to rise above the sound of her blows to the punching bag.

Almost instantly Arthur understood why Danse had warned him. Her voice when he had spoken to her the first time had been shy, almost timid and hard to hear, even with just the two of them alone on the command deck.

But now she sounded like an entirely different person. Her voice rose from small cries that sounded outright sexual to a viking shield-maiden's roar. She sounded like hell unleashed and he and Danse both groaned a response at the sound of it.

"Christ, she wrecks me," Danse said with low grunt, dropping his eyes to the floor and regaining his composure as much as he could.

"I think I see what you mean," Arthur nodded, having to softly clear his throat once to get the words out. "Is she like that in combat?"

"Sometimes. Depends on how hard the fight is." Danse looked back at her, still grinning, raging hard-on and all. "Sometimes she is so tiny and cute I just want to pick her up and tuck her in my power armor with me. Just to make sure she's safe and warm. Other times, I think she might well kick my ass if I tried it."

"It'd be fun to find out though," Arthur grinned, physically prodding Danse's shoulder with a fist.

"It could get me killed, but damn I'd go out with a smile." Danse chuckled back quietly.

"You want me to assign her to someone else so you're not bound by rules, regs, and honor?" Maxson asked in all seriousness.

"Hell No!" Danse muttered louder than he intended, wincing, but was relieved to see that Grace hadn't heard his voice. "I don't want any of these other bastards..." He trailed off as Grace came to the end of her heavy bag routine, roaring one last time before dropping to the floor in an exhausted heap.

"I'd rather just keep an eye on her myself, than let someone like Hawes or Donaldson 'mentor' her." The air quotes didn't express his real feelings so much as the sneer that peeled his lips back.

Arthur was about to say he wouldn't assign her to someone like that, but Danse spoke first.

"She'll hit the showers in a minute and we can head out," Danse explained, nodding toward Grace, who even now was pacing to slow her labored breathing and cooling down.

The door to the Gym swung open and two initiates Danse didn't immediately recognize walked in. He turned his attention back to Maxson, intent on saying something until he heard one of them speak.

"Paulson! Did you know they made power armor in kiddie sizes now?" a male voice laughed harshly.

"It's for little women who want to play at being soldiers, from what I hear," another snide male voice answered.

Maxon's face hardened instantly as he watched the two insubordinate initiates insulting the Knight.

Danse started to pivot on his heel and walk out there, but Arthur grabbed his arm, motioning for him to hold. Danse didn't like it, that was obvious, but what stopped Maxson was the sound of Grace's voice. Still breathless from her work out, but no where near the timid mouse he'd first heard.

"Then it should fit one or the other of you bleeding cunts, shouldn't it?" she said quickly, "I mean, you can not possibly be considered men when compared to other members of the Brotherhood, am I right?"

She stood just under chest high to the shortest one, but she still wore the heavy weights on both her hands and feet. She started to move then, lightly shifting and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Arthur and Danse had learned to box together at the Citadel years ago and had kept up the pastime ever since, so they both knew what good footwork looked like.

Danse turned back to Maxson, his index finger raised between them. "I'll bet you two bottles of your best bourbon that she can take them," Danse said with obvious pride.

"You're on, brother. She's spent. You saw her hit the floor when she ran out of stamina. What are you putting up?"

"My chess set," Danse said without flinching.

Arthur was surprised. Danse valued that set of hand carved pieces highly and he knew Maxson coveted them just as highly.

"We'll go out there the second she needs help," Arthur nodded quickly, shifting his eyes back to watch the scene unfolding in the middle of the gym floor.

"You want to see what a man looks like?" The taller one asked, grabbing his crotch lewdly. Both the Elder and the Paladin tensed at this. This was going too far.

"Sure, know where any are?" Grace fired back without hesitation, lifting her chin in defiance.

Danse was ready to forgo his beloved chess set at the sexual remark but Maxson stayed him once more.

"Wait, Danse. She's trying to prove that she can hold her on and not be cowed," he whispered as Danse started to move toward Grace.

When the taller one closed his fist around her throat, Arthur yanked his restraining hand from Danse's arm and they both bolted. It was a close race as to who rounded the end of the equipment rack first, but they both skidded to a stop a few feet past it.

They had moved fast, but neither one of them moved as fast as Grace.

The taller initiate with his hand on her throat suddenly found Grace going dead weight in his outstretched arm and she dropped to the floor, when he was unable to hold her up. She kicked savagely at his knee and even from their distance they heard it crunch sickeningly as it gave sideways, with him falling to the floor in a screaming heap.

The shorter one, now seeing what had happened to his friend, began to back away from Grace, still not noticing Elder Maxson and Paladin Danse a few yards away.

Grace bounded back to her feet and advanced on the young man slowly.

"Got something to say?" She hissed at him, tilting her head to one side as she slowly backed him into the wall. "You had plenty to say last night, didn't you? Last night you were the talkative one as I remember. What was it you said again? A mouth like that is only good for one thing? Wasn't that it?"

Then she struck, one rib shot after another with the heavy weight gloves until Danse called to her.

"Knight Arlen!" He barked, "Stand down!," When she didn't stop he sprinted to her and grabbed her arm in mid swing. Grace's pale blue eyes flicked up to meet his deep brown ones and for just a second there was no recognition.

"Knight Arlen!" He barked again, and this time she saw him for who he was.

Immediately she lowered her hand and dropped her eyes to the floor, breathing a quick. "Apologies, Paladin Danse," before falling silent.

Danse let go of her arm and glanced at Maxson who now stood beside him.

Arthur reached out and took her chin in his hand, lifting her head and turning it first right and then left. Danse saw the dark purple finger bruises all along her throat then, and her words to the shorter initiate sank into his mind. _'Last night' ... 'Last night'_

"Knight Arlen?" he asked with a frown, "What happened last night?"

"We were just... just goofing around," the shaking young initiate, called Davies, said quickly. Volunteering information when Grace still didn't utter a sound.

Maxson and Danse both turned to face him.

"We were just having some fun, you know. Everyone on the ship calls her short shit, or... or.. something like it. It just got out of hand, that's all."

"Explain 'got out of hand', initiate," Maxson hissed at him.

The boy finally had the good sense to realize who he was speaking to.

"Elder Maxson, it was just a bit of hazing. That's all sir, I swear. I didn't touch her. It wasn't me." he was shaking in his shoes now.

Maxson stepped closer to the terrified young man, feeling his anger boil dangerously near the surface.

"Since when do initiates haze knights?" he asked in a dark and quiet tone.

"I.. I don't know, Elder Maxson, sir, there were just... some of us that thought Mighty Mouse... Arlen.. Knight Arlen, needed to understand how hard we all worked to get to where we are.. and.. and that just because she'd come from a vault somewhere doesn't make her any better than the rest of us."

Danse looked at Grace again, still she stood with her eyes on the floor and not a single word spoken. She may as well have been a mute.

He took her upper arm in his hand and walked her to the other side of the Gym, well out of earshot of anyone else.

"Look at me, Knight" he said gently. Grace raised her head, looking past him, but not at him. "No," he said even softer this time. "Look _at_ me, Grace."

She finally did, her face as smooth as a china mask.

"What happened, soldier?"

"Nothing, sir." she replied with no emotion at all.

"How did you get the bruises on your neck?" Danse asked with a sick, uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"I don't recall, sir," she said evenly.

"Knight, I want to know what happened," Danse said again.

Maxson walked up and waited for Grace to reply, but still she said nothing.

"What happened, Knight?" Maxson inquired, stepping in front of Danse. He wasn't above using his status, or body language and even intimidation. He was determined to find out the truth.

"I don't recall, Elder Maxson." she said, her face deadpan once more.

Maxson turned to Danse. "I have Kells and security detail on their way to take," he pointed to one, "Paulson," then he pointed to the other, "and Davies into custody."

Maxson pivoted back to look at both of the young men.

"Apparently someone doesn't understand their rank in the Brotherhood, or how to respect their superiors," His voice was bitter and Danse almost pitied what the young men would have to endure as a lesson. Almost.

Insubordination was one thing Elder Maxson did not tolerate at all.

"Knight Arlen," he said sharply. Grace raised her eyes and looked past him, not at him, just like she did with Danse. He studied her face for a moment before saying,

"Paladin Danse, escort Knight Arlen to the command deck and wait for me there."

8


	2. Round 2

On the way to the command deck Danse kept trying to get Grace to answer him, but found her as stubborn about this as she could be on any other point.

"Look, this is going to go a lot easier for both of _US_ if you answer Elder Maxson's questions. Do you understand?"

"I understand sir," she said in a wooden voice, "I will answer the Elder's questions, and yours, to the best of my ability."

"Then tell me what happened last night," Danse asked earnestly.

"I don't recall, Paladin Danse," she parroted once more.

Danse sighed as they reached the command deck. He motioned to one of the small couches in the room and Grace seated herself. It was only then that he realized he had paraded her through the entire ship in just the shorts, tee shirt and the weights still strapped to her body.

"Stay here," he said, knowing she would, and marched to his quarters pulling a spare blanket from the chest in the corner. He walked back to the command deck and gently wrapped it around her shoulders.

Grace wrapped her fingers around the edge of the fabric and pulled it around her small frame.

"Thank you, Paladin Danse," she said softly, looking up into his eyes for the first time since this had all started.

"You aren't going to tell us, are you?" He asked when her gaze rested on his own.

"I would never betray my brothers or sisters, Paladin Danse," she said her face still hiding all emotion.

Danse let out a loud sigh that was half aggravation and half pride. Grace Arlen had learned the Brotherhood tenets very well.

He sat down and waited for Elder Maxson to arrive.

When Maxson strode onto the command deck he glanced around quickly, and said, "Both of you, my quarters, now." with a curt nod.

Grace followed Paladin Danse to Maxson's quarters with her eyes straight ahead. A soldier through and through.

Once the door was shut Maxson took a seat at his desk and pointed Danse to his usual chair almost as an afterthought.

Elder Maxson immediately opened a deep locked drawer on his desk and pulled out two pristine bottles of Bourbon and handed them over to Danse without a word.

"I thought I finally had your damn chess set," Maxson grumbled as Danse studied the labels with a smile.

Maxson turned his attention to the woman still standing at a parade rest stance in front of him.

"I want to know what happened, Knight and where it happened. Is that clear?" Maxson said in his firm authoritative voice.

"I'm sorry, Elder. I don't recall." Grace parroted again.

Maxson turned to Danse and raised an eyebrow.

Danse sighed, turning one of the rare and expensive bottles over in his hands.

"Got a couple of glasses?" Danse asked Maxson, tilting the bottle from side to side slowly. Maxson pulled out three shot glasses and plopped them on the desktop, turning one of them upside down on the blotter. Danse filled two of them and raised a glass to his Elder before downing the smooth amber liquid.

"Knight Arlen isn't going to tell us anything, Elder Maxson." Danse sighed a few minutes later as the warmth of the alcohol spread pleasantly through his chest.

"She says she would never betray her brothers and sisters."

Once again, Danse was filled with a sense of pride because of her actions. As much as it irritated both of them, she was holding fast to one of the Brotherhood beliefs before their very eyes.

"That is a very noble gesture, Knight, but you need to answer my questions before I lose my patience with you." Maxson glared at the short blonde woman, now wrapped in a blanket, still standing firm in his office.

"You already cost me two bottles of my finest Bourbon, so I would at least like some answers for that high of a price."

For the first time Grace's eye shifted from Danse to Elder Maxson and she nodded curtly. "I will do my best, Elder Maxson,"

"Were you physically or sexually assaulted last night?" Maxson asked point blank, taking Danse aback with his abrupt questioning.

"Yes to the first, not quite to the second," Grace said, her eyes closing.

Maxson and Danse exchanged a glare.

"Not quite?" Maxson inquired, pouring two more glasses of Danse's bourbon. They both knocked them back easily, Danse looking a bit more agitated then Maxson was.

"It was attempted, but I stopped it, Elder Maxson," Grace said with a fleeting smirk.

"Oh really?" Maxson asked cocking his head to one side and leaning forward to steeple his hands on his desktop.

"Please explain," he insisted.

Grace looked from her Elder to her Mentor and squirmed uncomfortably.

Grace stammered her way through the explanation, using hand gestures from time to time to express what had occurred. By the time she got to the end of her story Maxson and Danse were both struggling to keep a straight face.

"The same two from tonight, Paulson and Davies, attempted... oral copulation but... couldn't.. maintain.. a needed... part of the process... because I was laughing at them too much. So, instead a few punches may have been exchanged.. Sir."

Danse had to lean forward and put his face in his hands at one point, picturing her laughing at would be assailants. He knew her laugh. She could be colder than a winter night if she wanted to.

Finally both he and Maxson regained some manner of composure. Danse waved a hand at Maxson for a second, in a hold up gesture.

"I'm sorry, Knight, but I would really like to know what you said to... stop them?" Danse asked.

"I do not recall every detail, Paladin Danse, but I think the words... Hung like a wild untamed field mouse, might have been expressed. Two-inch tool may or may not have been uttered as well as..."

Danse quietly shook with laughter, finally settling down enough to look at Arthur, who just sat with a hand over the lower half of his face, completely failing to hide his broad smile.

"She's priceless," Danse said to Maxson with a grin, feeling warm and mellow from the fine Kentucky bourbon warming his stomach.

"Indeed," Maxson nodded. He stood up and pulled an extra chair in front of his desk, gesturing to her with one hand.

"Knight, please, have a seat." Maxson said, still grinning faintly.

Grace's eyes shifted from the Elder to Danse, and settled there, obviously waiting for his approval before she seated herself. Danse nodded and gestured to the chair with an open palm, just as Maxson had.

She sat down and Maxson held the bottle of bourbon up in front of her, with a raised eyebrow. Grace nodded carefully, her body still tense and 'at attention' in front of her two superiors.

Maxson poured her a shot, and another for himself and Danse before setting the bottle to one side.

"At ease, Grace." Maxson said softly, trying to relax the tension in the room.

"Can you tell us when this all started?" he asked politely.

"Permission to speak freely, Sirs?" she asked with perfect military manners.

"Granted, Knight," Maxson nodded with an amused smile. She understood protocol, apparently.

"I'm the lowest man on the totem pole. I'm the newest Knight, I've jumped rank very quickly, and some people feel insulted by that. A few fights should be expected when you add a new person to the pecking order, and that person proceeds to advance quickly... Sir."

Maxson nodded in agreement. And understanding.

"You knew they would come for you again tonight?" he asked.

"I suspected as much, sirs." she replied, glancing at Danse.

"So you did your usual workout, got the kinks out and were ready for an attack?" Danse smiled.

"Yes, Paladin." She actually smiled this time. "You taught me well, sir."

Maxson laughed out loud at that. A rich deep chuckle as he nodded to Danse.

"You did well, Danse. Find me a hundred more just like her."

"I wish that I could, Elder," Danse grinned, raising his last shot and saluting Grace.

"However, she appears to be very much a one of a kind."

Grace picked up her glass, raised it first to Elder Maxson, then to Danse and drank it back smoothly, returning the glass to the desktop with a clink.

"Apparently, she can hold her bourbon, as well," Maxson said, refilling all three shot glasses.

"More than you know, sir," she answered with a grin.

Maxson pulled a serious face and addressed her one more time.

"I do need to know who else was involved and if you were injured enough to seek medical treatment," he explained with a stern look.

"Sir, the only two I know by name or the two you saw this evening, and the others were mere observers, not at all what I'd call participants. I truly do not know who they were."

Maxson nodded again, "And did you seek medical attention for any injuries?"

"No, Sir. I did not. Just a few bruises on my neck, and my breasts."

Danse scowled harder when she said that.

"Let me see your neck, Knight" he said, motioning her over to him.

Danse knew it was a huge mistake as soon as she got close enough for him to catch her scent. He could smell the light odor of her sweat as she leaned down and let him examine her. It was not an unpleasant smell to him at all.

"Do you want me to remove my shirt so you can see the other ones as well?" she asked him casually.

Danse was caught off guard and glanced at her in surprise. "Uh.. That won't be necessary, Knight" he grunted quickly, tinging red and hoping the Bourbon would be thought the blame.

Maxson didn't miss that little exchange or the way the small woman made his best friend and most loyal soldier squirm in his seat like a school boy.

"Grace?" Maxson asked politely, "May I ask you a question?"

"Of, course Elder," she nodded, retaking her seat and smiling at him sweetly.

"What exactly is the fighting style you were using in the gym tonight, before this.. incident?"

Grace's head snapped up, her eyes riveting on Danse with a knowing look.

"You been watching me again, Paladin!" she gasped.

Danse blushed deeply and reached for the bottle of bourbon on Maxson's desk. He poured all three of them another shot and cleared his throat before answering.

"We might have been in the gym, boxing, just before you came in," he replied vaguely.

"Oh," Grace said with a nod. "And all the other times?"

Danse was in the middle of drinking his shot so he chose to not answer her on that one.

"I didn't know you, boxed, sir," she said, turning to Maxson with a warm smile.

Maxson smiled back with a nod. "I learned when I was about twelve and Paladin Danse has been my sparring partner most of my life."

"In answer to your question, Elder," she smiled, slowly crossing one knee over the other and letting the blanket around her shoulders fall open a bit. "It's a combination of different martial arts and some boxing techniques. Taekwondo, primarily but also some Karate and Jujutso thrown in as well."

Danse propped his chin in his hand and let his eyes drift as she talked with Maxson, following the deep V of the open blanket, not realizing that he was leaning to the side a bit as he looked at her. She and Maxson were still talking about combat styles, but Danse's mind was elsewhere.

He hadn't felt this strong attraction for a woman in a long time. At 6 foot, 4 inches he stood more than a foot taller than Grace, and he had noticed it on the very first day in Cambridge. She was a petite woman who fought like a tiger. Still, The way she fought without fear was one thing he adored about her. She wasn't reckless at all, but she never ever backed down from a fight.

Proctor Ingram had heavily modified a set of t-60 power armor that fit her smaller frame beautifully. Danse had been amazed and enthralled by the way she moved in it. It was almost like she was dancing. Dance..

"Danse?" Elder Maxson said loudly, breaking his revere.

Maxson was almost laughing out loud at him, then Danse realized he had leaned far over the arm of the chair to look at Grace's legs.

"See something you like, sir?" She teased, swinging one foot slowly back and forth.

Danse sat upright quickly, and cleared his throat.

"I was falling asleep, I must be more tired than I thought," he bluffed with a glare at Maxson.

"You do look rather tired," Maxson nodded, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Knight Arlen, would you be so kind as to escort Paladin Danse to his quarters. I'm concerned about him not getting enough rest."

"Ahem... Arth- Elder, I'm not sure that would be.. appropriate." Danse said firmly.

Grace looked at Maxson with a slight tilt to her head. "I would be delighted to, sir". She nodded as Maxson winked at her openly. "Should I... 'tuck' … him in well, Elder. To make sure he gets a good night's rest?"

"I think that's exactly what he needs, Knight. A good thorough 'tucking'."

Danse's face was crimson and he couldn't believe what Maxson had just suggested in thinly, very thinly veiled innuendos.

Grace looked at Danse. Not just his eyes, but openly appraised him from head to toe and licked her lips with a smile. Danse felt a tingle, almost a buzz run through his body. Her gaze actually felt warm and heavy on his body, like a physical touch.

"Let me know when you are ready, Paladin. I will be happy to tuck you. In."

Maxson was barely keeping a straight face as he looked at Danse.

"Danse, I think a good tuck, some sleep, and you'll feel like a new man tomorrow."

Maxson chuckled again and Danse thought that he would happily jump in a hole to hell if one opened up in the floor right then.

He said nothing, glaring at his Elder, his friend, and silently plotting revenge.

It was as if Maxson read his thoughts, because the facade of his, amused, but controlled face shattered and he laughed heartily at Danse's discomfort.

"I'm going to pay this, aren't I?" he asked Danse, still laughing.

"You most certainly are," Danse replied with a vigorous nod and a deadly glare, "Now, please, explain to Knight Arlen that you have a twisted wit, and you were joking with her."

"I hope he wasn't joking," she said quietly next to him, making the Paladin glance at her quickly and began to blush all over again. "I was looking forward to it. I've wanted to.. 'tuck'... you for some time."

Maxson shrugged at Danse. "I think you're tucked, old friend. Let's call it a night and see how things are tomorrow."

Danse glared, muttering threateningly at Maxson. He almost jumped out of his skin when Grace's hand touched arm.

"Are you ready, Paladin?" she asked, with a soft sweet smile.

"Ahem" Danse cleared his throat, and looked at Grace now his ears burning hotly. "You know he didn't mean it, right? You... don't have to.. tuck me in."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to," she said dismissively before turning to Maxson. "Thank you for the drinks and the conversation, sir. It was truly a pleasure."

"The pleasure was all mine, Knight. I would love to do this again sometime," he beamed.

"As would I, Sir. Ad Victoriam, Elder Maxson." Grace saluted, taking Danse's hand and turning to leave.

8


	3. Round 3

Danse snatched up both bottles of bourbon that he had won from Maxson and let himself be led from the room.

It was only half a dozen steps across the hall to his own quarters, but it felt like the longest walk of his life.

He fumbled the key out of his pocket and unlocked his door, stepping in and setting the bourbon down quickly. He was a bachelor and his spartan quarters reflected that. He scrambled to pick up a few things around the room in an effort to tidy up.

"Grace," he said, turning to her hesitantly. "I... don't expect you to do.. anything here. You know that, right? Maxson was just being an ass... He does that sometimes."

He didn't realize until he stopped talking that he was out of breath.

Grace didn't answer him. She walked straight to him and spread her hands over his chest, pushing him backward a step at a time, until she shoved softly. Danse fell back on his bed, raising up to his elbows and blinking at her.

"What did..."

Grace pulled the tee shirt over her head making Danse groan to himself because she wore no bra underneath. Her hands ran over her skin, cupping her breasts in each hand and pinching the nipples between her thumb and forefinger until the peaks were hard and tight.

She climbed onto him wordlessly, settling herself over his lower stomach and not where Danse ached for her to be, over his groin.

His hands went to her hips, thinking he would easily pick her up and move her where he wanted, but he was mistaken.

Grace leaned down and kissed him. Not soft and gentle like he expected, but hard and passionate, making Danse grunt against her lips in surprise. Her tongue swept in and claimed his mouth, fighting with his own for dominance.

Her hands closed around his fingers then, drawing them to her breasts. He didn't need further encouragement and he began to knead her flesh eagerly.

She kissed him with a deeper harder hunger before pulling away abruptly.

Danse blinked at her in dismay until he saw her stand over him on his bed to drop her shorts and panties onto his chest.

He looked down at them, and then back up at her a stunned smile spreading across his face. He reached to pick them up and toss them across the room, but Grace cleared her throat pointedly, shaking her head 'no'.

She stepped down to the floor, hands on her hips.

"Can you take that uniform off, or do I need to help you with it?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Danse laughed deeply, even as he lay there unzipping his uniform and wriggling out of it as she watched. Her panties and shorts sliding off his body in the process.

His hand strayed to his cock when he was naked, giving it a satisfying squeeze.

Grace stepped between his knees, running her fingertips up the inside of his thighs to his thick cock. She closed both hands around him and squeezed firmly before starting a slow teasing stroke. Danse looked down at her two hands working his shaft in unison and swore quietly, closing his eyes in bliss.

One hand moved away from his cock when his hips began to lift a little each time she stroked him. He felt the tickle of something against his side as her shorts and panties slid away, obviously being pulled off the bed, by Grace.

His eyes shot open in surprise when he felt soft cloth against his cock. He looked down as she wound her underwear around his straining shaft, knotting them tightly, but not uncomfortably, at the base.

He frowned at her in confusion. Not that it wasn't very different and more than a little exciting, but he didn't understand the point.

Grace saw the puzzlement on his face and patted his thighs gently.

"Trust me," she said with a grin that made him twitch.

She climbed back over him, literally walking on his bed. She turned by his head and squatted with her sex poised tantalizingly over his chest. Danse was too busy staring at her wet open folds to notice what she was doing until he felt her mouth engulf his cock.

He jerked his hips and groaned loud enough to echo in the room.

He lay there with his eyes closed as she sucked him until she pulled away quickly.

"Something wrong with your fingers, Danse?" she asked loudly, her hips wriggling suggestively in front of him.

"No, Ma'am." he said quickly, with a broad smile before reaching for her. He really wanted to pick her up and set her right onto his face and lick those pink wet folds until she screamed.

"If you want... I can return the favor?" he suggested softly.

"If you do that I wont be able to reach this," she licked the head of his cock for emphasis. Danse jerked again with a groan, feeling the cloth material around his shaft tightening more as he swelled even harder.

"Maybe after?" he asked hopefully, brushing his thick calloused fingers against her soft thigh.

"Maybe," she mumbled, licking quickly at the slit in the tip of his cock. He swore he could hear a smile on her face.

He gently rubbed his fingers against her outer lips slowly, watching the pink of her flesh darken just a little as he touched her. He spread her open a bit and sucked his middle finger in his mouth, licking it wetly before pulling it out, still glistening, and sliding it into her a quarter inch at a time.

"You're really tight," he moaned, imagining his cock buried in her.

"Which is why I want you to use those fingers to get me ready for your cock," she explained with a chuckle. Danse knew if he'd been standing up when she said that his knees would have buckled.

He felt Grace sigh in pleasure as he began to slowly pump his finger in and out of her. After she began to rock back against him he added another finger.

"Stop, Grace," he called out quickly a few minutes later, his breathing fast and harsh. She complied, but asked why.

"I need to catch my breath. I'm getting too close.. and I just need to calm down a little," he explained with a wince. "And that's getting a little too tight on my..."

"That's one of the reasons for it, Danse. It'll make you stay hard even after you cum."

He craned his neck and looked down between their bodies for a second before admitting that he did feel harder than he ever had.

"Really?" he asked with a long drawl.

Grace giggled at him and he instantly loved the sound of it. Light and soft, like the tiniest of bells.

She moved off of him then and he frowned in disappointment again.

"I'm about ready to see if I can take you, anyway," she said matter-of-factly, in a low silky voice. Danse hadn't even considered that and now he tensed up, she had been awfully tight on his fingers.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked hesitantly as she straddled his hips and reached between them to grasp his cock.

She lowered herself onto him very slowly, and he bit back a moan of pure hunger. Inch by inch he watched himself disappear into her incredible tight heat. When he was finally seated fully inside her he let out a huff of air.

"Are you all right?" Grace asked, looking at him doubtfully.

"MmmHmm," Danse uttered in his deep bass voice. "Are you?"

"Yes. I'm just wondering if you're going to pass out if I actually start fucking you." Danse blinked at her with a mixture surprise, mirth and admiration before he laughed out loud.

Grace raised up on her knees, drawing his cock almost all the way out, before rocking back down hard against his hips. Danse gasped and grunted with pleasure when she did.

"You seem to think I'm going to break if you move at all," she said, her voice back to that silken tone that made his cock tingle even now.

"I just don't want to hurt you... I'm.. very conscious... of the fact that I'm a lot bigger than you."

"We seem to fit just fine in my opinion," she shrugged, swinging her hips around his cock to make her point, "so I'm starting to wonder if you know how to fuck?"

Dance jackknifed into a sitting position at the well placed taunt and reached one arm around her bottom to support her, the other wrapping around her ribs, his hand cupping her shoulder for leverage as he arched sharply into her from underneath.

Grace threw her head back and moaned loudly, "That's more like it," she breathed.

Danse bucked hard under her smaller body watching the expression of pleasure on her face intently. Her mouth was open and her eyes half lidded when she raised her head to look at him.

He reached for one of her thighs, drawing it around his waist and she immediately followed it with the other one, locking her ankles in the small of his back.

"Hold tight," he growled, slowly standing up, still buried inside her.

"Anything you say, Paladin," she purred, the use of his title in that sexy voice making his cock twitch again.

He carried her like that to the wall and pressed her against it, using his arms to keep from grinding her skin against the cold metal.

He drew back carefully, stopping with just the head of his cock inside her.

"Tell me if I hurt you?" he asked.

"Do you want a safe word?" She asked, "Or maybe a fresh diaper and a pacifier before your nap?"

That actually ticked Danse off a little, and he slammed into her hard, a lot harder than he meant to.

She bit her lower lip and cried out sharply, "Yes!" Then lowered her voice to say, "You do know how to do this don't you, big guy?"

"I'm getting a clearer picture of what you have in mind," he said thickly, ducking his head to nip sharply at her right shoulder as he began to drive his aching cock into her pussy hard and fast.

* * *

Near dawn, just after Grace had left, Danse lay collapsed on his bunk. He was still naked, exhausted and utterly spent when a familiar patterned knock sounded on his door.

"Come in," he called, knowing who it was by the rapped out code.

Maxson walked in and sat immediately on the corner of the desk near the door.

Danse had enough strength and modesty left to throw the blanket over his lap even though he and Arthur had seen each other naked on countless occasions.

"Are you kidding me? A five foot something blonde fucked the 'legendary' Paladin Danse into submission?" Maxson asked, his blue eyes sparkling with laughter at Danse's exhausted look.

A slow satisfied smile spread across the Paladin's face.

"I'd get up to salute," Danse groaned, moving his arm from his eyes and lifting the corner of the blanket to glance down at his own body, "but getting anything up right now is a no go."

"That good, huh?" Maxson asked, scratching his beard lightly, feeling a bit jealous.

"She drained me so dry my left nut aches," Danse sighed, sitting up on his bunk and blinking at his friend.

Maxson barked sharp laughter at that.

"Seriously," Danse continued, chuckling himself, "The only thing I could spurt right now is dust."

He stretched his shoulders before his eyes narrowed accusingly at Maxson. "I could have killed you last night when you pulled that 'tuck him in' shit, but now I feel like I should thank you, or at least give you back the other bottle of bourbon."

"Keep it," Maxson said still chuckling, "We drank most of the first one last night anyway. I'll get you another later today."

Danse shrugged nonchalantly, laying back again with a slight groan.

"Poor, poor, Paladin Danse," Maxson laughed, with a tsk tsk sound, ribbing his old friend mercilessly. "Can't even handle a single night with a cute little blonde. Maybe she was right, you do need a pacifier and a nap?"

Danse didn't bat an eye when Maxson said that.

"Yeah,... um, we heard you last night too." Danse said pointedly, making an unmistakable jack off gesture with one hand.

Within the first days aboard the new airship the two had found a problem with the air vent that connected between their rooms, an obvious design flaw because it was very easy to hear conversations and other sounds from one room to the other. It had proved interestingly useful at times.

The look on Maxson's face clearly expressed that he wasn't sure this was one of those times.

"You heard me?" Maxson frowned in disbelief.

"No, Arthur. _We_ heard you. Grace did too. I made a point of loudly telling her that it was you, wanking like mad while listening to us. You didn't hear her reaction?" Danse asked, he could easily hold his own when it came to trash talking with Maxson.

"You did not say that," Maxson growled with a frown.

"The hell I didn't," Danse grinned at Maxson's discomfort, before gleefully adding. "Grace just wondered if maybe you'd like to take her on yourself?"

"She what?" Maxson asked, blinking as Danse laughed louder.

7


	4. Round 4

Maxson and Danse collected breakfast trays from the cafeteria and took seats at their usual table. Half way through their meal Maxson noticed Grace sit down at another table across from them. Danse's words kept repeating in Arthur's head as he stole glances at her. __..."take her on yourself"...__

She sat alone, eating her meal and reading something from a book held flat against the table with one hand. Because he was stealing those little glances, he, but not Paladin Danse, saw what happened a moment later.

A group of three initiates walked past where Grace sat, one of them knocking the tray in front of her to the floor with a loud metallic clatter, never even slowing as they walked away.

Danse looked up just as Maxson rose from his seat and walked calmly to the middle isle, following the group of three out the door. Danse looked over at Grace as she stooped to pick up the tray and her ruined book, a frown creasing his brow.

"Leave it, Knight!" Maxson's harsh voice carried back through the cafeteria clearly. Danse turned quickly at the sound. He knew that voice. He'd been on the wrong side of it more than once.

As soon as he addressed her, Grace snapped to attention. Her eyes forward, shoulder's squared, tray and book both left where they fallen on the floor.

Danse got up and started toward her, wondering how she had possibly incurred Maxson's wrath by just dropping a tray. Grace discretely waved him off. It was a simple kind of communication they had between them, coming from months together in hostile situations. They communicated with the slightest of gestures or expressions. Danse sat back down and watched.

Maxson was just returning with the same three initiates who had left a moment ago, all of them looking startled.

He picked up Grace's book, shaking the food and liquid from it with one quick snap of his wrist and closing the cover. He silently read the words on the front, and only Danse knew him well enough to notice the slight nod of approval he gave at the title.

The book disappeared into the pocket of his battlecoat with a magician's ease.

He pivoted on his heel as he faced the three in front of him, seemingly ignoring the one who stood stock still behind him, her face a mask.

"I am not sure why you would have the impression otherwise, but food is not something we waste. Too much time and energy is put into growing it, tending it, harvesting it and preparing it for even one bite to be wasted." He looked pointedly at the floor and the remains of Grace's uneaten meal.

Danse laughed inwardly. He knew what was coming next.

Maxon's sharp blue eyes rose back up to pierce each of the two men, and one woman who stood blinking at him in confusion.

"I hope you three are still hungry." Maxson said quietly.

They all stared at him utter disbelief. The cafeteria was not as crowded as it could have been at this time of the morning, but it may as well have been a tomb by the silence that held it.

"But, Sir..." the woman began.

"Yes?" He asked, blinking at her expectantly.

"I didn't do this..."

"Nor did you stop to assist a ranking officer when the opportunity presented itself, did you?"

She gaped at him, her mouth opening and closing a few times. The two men beside her had not moved, still waiting for someone to say the joke was on them, somehow, or that all this was one big prank.

Danse caught Grace's eye just then a sent her a small wink while everyone else in the cafeteria was completely focused on Maxson and the three people standing before him.

Grace's eyes drifted closed slowly, showing her exasperation, before opening once more and looking at him. Danse narrowed his eyes slightly in return, cocking his head by a degree, wondering what annoyed her. She just gave an almost imperceptible slump of her shoulders and then he understood.

She thought Maxson had just made things worse for her.

When one of the two men in front of Maxson started for the silverware bin at the end of the counter, Maxson stopped him by stepping in front of him with one stride.

"I don't think that will be necessary," Maxson said, his meaning clear.

Grace winced then and Danse saw the muscle at her jaw start to twitch in anger.

None of the three initiates offered up any other arguments, they all three crouched over the spilled food on the floor and began to eat it.

Maxson moved to stand in front of Grace, pulling her book from his pocket.

"Knight, I think your book is ruined," he said carefully, weighing his words to sound impartial.

"That's a pity, Elder Maxson," she said her face an emotionless mask.

"Indeed. It's one of my personal favorites. Any particular quotes that stand out in your mind?" he asked, his eyes not quite as neutral to Danse as they might have been to everyone else. Danse saw the mirth even when there was no smile.

The same with Grace, Danse saw the anger where there was no scowl.

"Yes, Sir," Grace answered Maxson's question very quickly. " 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy ' _ _without fighting__.' "

Maxson pondered this quietly, noting her emphasis on the last two words.

Eventually he nodded,"I prefer, 'He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit within ' _ _ **all'**__ its ranks,'" he replied, lifting his chin in pride.

"May I be dismissed, sir? I'd need to go change my clothing," Grace asked. Her eyes never looking at his. Maxson dismissed her, a confused look in his eyes as she spun and walked away quickly.

He rejoined Danse at the table, immediately pushing away his unfinished meal, his scowl deepening.

"What was that about, with Knight Arlen?" Danse asked quietly.

"I'm not sure, exactly," Maxson replied, low enough that only Danse would hear "but I feel like she just verbally slapped me."

"She probably did. Judging by that little jaw twitch, she wanted to take the 'verbally' part out entirely," Danse answered very quietly, sipping his coffee as the cafeteria slowly returned to normal volume and activity.

"How am I the bad guy here?" Maxson asked quickly. Danse cleared his throat loudly as the Elder spoke, covering his friends rising voice somewhat.

Maxson looked around, annoyed, but lowered his voice back down.

"Explain that to me," Maxson hissed angrily.

"Well," Danse said, hiding half his face behind his coffee cup. "As she sees it, you just made things worse for her."

Maxson's scowl deepened to a furrow at that and his face darkened.

"Get your gear, I really want to punch something," Maxson growled.

"Sure, but you never can win when you're this pissed off," Danse reminded him.

"I know, now ask me if I care?" Maxson glared.

"I don't have to." Danse said with a shrug.

When they walked into the gym Danse was surprised to see Grace there herself, stretching out prior to exercising.

Danse had just enough time to realize that these two in the same space, might not be the best idea right now, but Maxson had already noticed her too. He was momentarily thankful that Grace wasn't taped up for fighting too. He didn't want to referee them.

Danse and Maxson hit the locker room and changed, emerging a few moments later in boxing trunks. Black on Maxson, deep crimson on Danse.

Maxson stared at her hard, as he taped up and donned his gloves. He smacked them together loudly as he walked to the speed bag and began to punch.

As Danse finishing taping up his hands he listened to the sound of the bag, hearing distinct skips and misses in the normally perfect pattern of Arthur's punches.

Grace seemed completely oblivious to Maxson's ire as she got up from her stretches and began to skip rope, her back to them both.

Danse stood up and knocked his gloves together hard, to seat them.

He glanced over at Arthur, still speed bagging, and went to work on the heavy canvas bag solo. He didn't hear when Arthur stopped the bag, but he heard what he said distinctly.

"Knight Arlen?" Maxson called out. "Why don't you show me what your hand to hand skills are?" Danse could see that a lot of tension had gone out of his friends shoulders after working the speed bag, but not all of it.

"Of course, Elder," Grace replied with no hesitation. She looped the rope around its peg on the wall and walked toward the 'Boxing Ring'.

The boxing ring itself only consisted of double yellow lines he and Maxson had measured out and painted on the floor, some time back. They were really the only two who enjoyed the sport enough to pursue it, and space was always at a premium on any kind of ship. So a real boxing ring was just too impractical.

Danse began to feel uneasy as he watched Grace tape up her hands and feet.

 _No, this had disaster written all over it_ , he thought to himself.

He left the heavy bag, glad the gym was empty except for the three of them. He walked over to where Maxson sat, taking off his boots and gloves and arguing with Grace about head protection.

Grace looked up at the Paladin, glanced around to make sure no one could overhear before looking back at up at him and smiling warmly.

"Well, hello, Paladin Danse," she said softly, somehow making the greeting sound much sexier than it had any right to.

Evidently Maxson had heard it as well, because he turned to look at her appreciatively before turning to Danse.

"Danse, you think one of the squire headsets will fit her?" he asked casually.

"I would think so," Danse nodded, giving her a smile of his own as he thought about their night in his quarters.

"Doesn't matter," Grace shrugged. "You'll never be able to touch me, Elder."

"That's what you keep telling me," Maxson sighed standing up, barefoot, bare-chested, and barehanded now. "But I've yet to see it proven."

"Just for the record," Danse interrupted, "this seems like a really bad idea."

Neither one of them even acknowledged his comment.

"You have to wear a protective headset, or we can't do this. I don't want to hurt your little head." Maxson said, not budging on the issue.

Grace shrugged and started to walk away like she couldn't care less.

Maxson called after her "Are you admitting defeat that easily? I thought it would be more of a challenge to 'take you on'. Based on what I heard the other night, anyway."

Danse heard that for the innuendo it clearly was, but to a passerby it might have been nothing.

Grace turned back. "Okay. Tell you what, sir. I'll wear the head rig, if you wear a protective cup. I don't want to hurt __your little head__ either."

Danse snorted loudly and Maxson grinned at her. "Fair enough. I've got one, in my locker."

Danse found a couple of youth headsets and adjusted one to fit Grace snugly. While Arthur disappeared into the locker room for a moment.

While he was gone and Danse stood fitting the protective gear to her, she let her fingertips trail lazily up the inseam of his trunks, to cup his cock and balls gently.

"So, how's your sleep been lately, Paladin Danse?" she asked with a soft bedroom voice that, along with her familiar touch, cut his concentration to ribbons.

"Not bad, but you're welcome tuck me in anytime you want. My door is always open to you," he said softly, his soft brown eyes locking with hers.

"Is that a promise?" she asked, her thumb stroking along his soft cock teasingly through his trunks.

"It most certainly is." he grinned.

Maxson returned as they were flirting but said nothing to stop their banter, his eyes watching her small hand openly fondling Danse to his complete distraction.

"Don't worry," she said with a cocky grin, "I won't hurt him too much."

"I'm more worried about him hurting you," Danse said, brushing his thumb across her lower lip. Grace caught his thumb between her lips and let her tongue tease it momentarily.

She released it after a second, and shrugged. "He won't. He won't even get close enough to grapple me down."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Maxson asked, unknowingly rising to her bait.

"You've already shown me you have absolutely no faith in my ability to stand toe to toe with you, sir. You insisted I put on extra protective gear and at the same time you've taken your own off. In your mind, I'm already pinned on the ground underneath you."

"I'll admit that does have a certain appeal," Maxson nodded thoughtfully.

Danse smiled down at Grace, wanting to kiss the hell out of her just then.

She looked up at Maxson with a wicked smile. "I don't doubt that I would too, but let's see who comes out on top of this, first, shall we?"

9


	5. Round 5

Maxson watched as Grace walked into the ring ahead of him. He really like the way she moved. Slow and fluidic, almost feline.

She stopped in the corner directly across from him.

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Elder Maxson?" she asked, goading him a bit with the implication that he might chicken out.

"Yes, I am. I promise I'll go easy on you." he taunted her in return.

"I feel like I can handle whatever you've got for me," she replied, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue. The innuendo of the gesture and the words were not lost on Maxson, and he groaned to himself. He definitely wanted her pinned under him, preferably naked and wet.

"Danse?" Maxson said with a final grin before he popped in his mouthpiece. "Stop this if it goes too far."

"Too late," the Paladin said with a shake of his head.

Again, neither one of them acknowledged him.

At first they only circled each other. Maxson trying a feint to one side and mildly surprised when Grace leaned just far enough back to avoid where his hands would have been if he had followed through.

He reversed direction and circled toward her from the other side, systematically looking for a weak spot in her movements. Finally, seeing none he edged toward her at a diagonal, counting on his longer arms to snare her and end this quickly.

She slipped by him at the last moment, and shot behind him with soft punch directly to the back of his knee, making him stumble to the floor for just a moment.

Maxson was unfazed by what he considered a lucky shot and a momentary stumble but he was beginning to enjoy this.

A woman that read and could quote Sun Tzu to him, as well as eluding him at hand to hand was interesting to say the least. Her sexual energy was something else entirely.

"You did put that cup on, right, sir?" she asked. Never taking her eyes off him.

"Yes, I did. We can stop for a moment, if you'd like to check?" he grinned invitingly.

"All right, just to be safe," Grace nodded in agreement.

To Maxson's absolute surprise she walked straight to him, grabbed the waistband of his boxing trunks, pulled them out and peered inside.

His eyes widened in shock and he looked up at Danse, his mouth hanging open.

Danse was too busy shaking from laughter to notice Maxson's expression just then.

Grace let her eyes slowly move up his stomach and chest to lock with his.

"A shot glass and a rubber band doesn't count as a protective cup, sir."

Danse braced his hands on his knees for a moment when he heard her say that.

"Elder Maxson, you may want to surrender right now," he advised.

Maxson chuckled, shaking his head, he wasn't about to yield to her, but she was sure as hell going to yield to him.

He abruptly charged at her, dropping one shoulder, intending to catch in her stomach and then scoop her up in his arms before she could fall to the ground.

But his arms closed on nothing but air.

He felt the back of his trunks yank open, and then snap back in place with a faint sting.

"Cute ass though." she said softer, staring into Maxson's eyes when he faced her again.

"I could tell you the very same thing," he nodded.

She was fast he'd give her that, but now he knew account for her speed.

"We can stop for a moment... in case you'd like to check? Or catch your breath. I don't want to tire you out too much, Sir." she challenged with a sweet smile.

Maxon stood straight and walked toward her. Grace held her ground as he advanced, and just as he reached for the waistband of her shorts, she snared his wrist, yanking hard, pulling him off balance and hitting the back of his knee again. Maxson tried to roll out of her reach when he went to the floor, but she never let go of his wrist so he ended up on his stomach with his arm up and twisted awkwardly at an angle.

Maxson swore loudly, as he felt her kneel on the back of his neck.

"Point," Danse chuckled, awarding a 'pin to the mat' point to Grace.

She let his wrist go and Maxson rolled up onto his feet a little embarrassed but more than a little stimulated too.

"Come on, Grace. Spar with him like you would with me," Danse suggested.

Grace stopped in her tracks and turned in surprise, her eyes wide.

"Naked and sweaty?" she asked, hopefully.

Maxson charged at her the minute her body language changed, thinking she was distracted by Danse. He ran full bore, but once again when he got close she just slipped around him. Tripping him as he went past.

He hit the floor on his stomach with a rush of air and she landed on his back before he could draw half a breath, forcing even more air from his lungs. Her arm closed around his throat, her shin pressing his head to the floor.

"Point," Danse called quickly.

Maxson had just enough time to wonder what the hell had happened before Danse picked her up and off his back.

Maxson sat up and drew a couple of deep breaths, eyeing her in puzzlement.

Danse held her up, until Grace leaned her head back and whispered something in his ear that made him close his eyes and let her slowly slide down his body until her feet were on the floor.

"Let me know when you're... satisfied... with my... um, abilities, Elder Maxson," Grace baited him, stepping away from Danse, then glancing back to the Paladin

"Is this a two point or three point match-" Grace began.

Danse couldn't believe she had turned her back on someone that she knew was there to attack her. Then she winked at him conspiratorially.

She was taunting Maxson verbally, insulting his manhood, and showing him a weak spot for attack. Danse wondered if Maxson even realized what she was doing.

Maxson charged her one more time, he connected with her at waist level, slinging her over his shoulder and standing up with triumph shout.

Grace simply scrambled up his powerful frame and hooked one leg behind his bicep, the other leg around his neck, and suddenly he could see nothing but the crotch of her dark navy shorts.

"So, how's this working out for you, sir?" she asked as she sat on his chest.

"It did not go as I intended, Knight," Maxson said, his answer slightly muffled by her body.

Danse was on the floor in tears now.

Maxson reached up, hooked his hands under her arms, and lowered her down his chest until he was holding her at eye level.

He scowled at her, nose to nose."What the hell do you weigh, Grace?"

"One oh four," Grace answered, as he continued to hold her up, her feet dangling off the floor.

"Danse is right," Maxson admitted his eyes narrowing, "You could almost be tucked into a pocket for safe keeping."

"Because throwing me over your shoulder worked out so well for you?" she gloated in his face.

"I won't hesitate to throw you over my shoulder and carry you naked through this entire ship, with your ass in the air." Maxson growled fiercely.

Danse climbed back on his feet by now, he knew the gym was empty, just like this, for the vast majority of the day but that didn't make it completely private.

"This might not be the best time or place for..." he began, but gave up when Maxson did in fact swing Grace over his left shoulder and smacked her backside loudly with one hand. He hooked his arm behind her knees as he held her there squealing in indignation.

"What was that you said, Paladin?" he asked conversationally as Grace squirmed and beat against his back.

Danse watched as Maxson paraded around the gym with Grace still over his shoulder like a trophy, while she was alternately laughing and hurling obscenities at the young Elder's back.

Danse felt a twinge of jealousy as Arthur walked back to him, Grace still pinned over his shoulder.

"So, what do we do with the most underestimated woman in the commonwealth, Paladin Danse?" Maxson laughed, still acting oblivious to the commotion at his back.

"I say we keep her between the two of us like a stolen treasure, or a dirty little secret," Danse smiled broadly, reaching up to tickle the back of her knee lightly.

"That settles it, Knight," Maxson informed her, with a glance behind him.

"You belong to Danse and myself, is that clear?"

"Oh, you're asking like I have a fucking choice here?" Grace laughed breathlessly.

Arthur leaned forward so she could straighten up and Danse reached up to help lower her back to the floor to stand between them.

"You always have a _fucking_ choice, Grace. As long as it's me or Danse," Maxson stared down at her hotly.

"Because God help any other man who tries to touch you," Danse nodded in agreement.

Grace grinned back at both of them before saying, "Well, there's only one thing to talk about then."

"What would that be?" Maxson asked, still smiling down at her.

"Why the fucking hell you thought I needed you to stand up for me, in the cafeteria this morning?" Her eyes focused hotly on Arthur.

His relaxed smile faded slowly, replaced by a confused scowl.

"So you saw _me_ as the villain of that scenario? Me? Not the three asshats that disrespected you in front of the entire mess hall?" His voice was rising louder as he spoke.

He was leaning over Grace slightly, his arms folded over his chest firmly.

" _You_ " she said, jabbing a finger into his chest, "embarrassed me far worse than they did with their juvenile stunt. If you would have let it go, it would have been a hell of a lot better than making three of your soldiers eat off the damn floor. That was beneath _you_ , Sir." she

"Grace," Danse said sharply, his voice a warning to her that she did not heed.

"Let her speak, Danse," Maxson said, his nostrils flaring slightly.

Grace's eyes never flinched away from Maxson's stare.

"You just made a very public display of unnecessarily swooping in to save me for the second time in as many days. Remember that pecking order conversation we had about holding my own? About how I had to prove myself, find my own place? What do you think you just did to any respect I might have earned with all that bullshit posturing?"

Maxson's eyes narrowed and his head leaned back slowly, he gaze softening just before his eyes closed slowly. He drew a deep sigh, his chin dropping to his chest.

Danse blinked in mild surprise. ' _She's absolutely right, and he knows it,'_ he thought to himself, now watching Maxson carefully.

Arthur stood that way for a few moments, before opening his eyes and looking down at her, his head still bowed to his chest.

"You're right," he said with another heavy sigh, "You're absolutely right. I could have made things even worse by the way I acted, I owe you an apology, Grace."

"I don't want an apology, Elder, I want payback." she said evenly.

"I don't understand what exactly you-" Maxson began but looked stunned when she interrupted him. She wasn't supposed to interrupt him.

"I'm going to hit you, and you're going to stand there and let me hit you with no fear of reprisal. Then we'll put paid to this and forget it ever happened." she announced, arms folded over her chest.

Maxson fought back a smile and nodded once, thinking how Danse had called her a mix of cute and furious. Damn he was right.

"Alright," He agreed with a shrug.

"This is a definitely a bad idea!" Paladin Danse said loudly, only to be ignored a third time.

"Give me your best shot, Knight," Maxson said to her, still leaned forward with his hands on his hips.

Grace nodded and hit him, once.

When she connected Maxson saw stars and staggered back half a step.

7


	6. Round 6

Arthur Maxson sat behind the desk in his quarters that night, and tried not to wrinkle his nose. He focused instead on the chessboard spread out in between he and Danse, weighing his moves and carefully taking a sip of his drink before finally making one.

Paladin Danse was leaned back in his chair, holding a tumbler of bourbon and taking time to plan his next move.

Arthur wrinkled his nose and cursed loudly, shaking his head, his eyes watering profusely.

Danse bit back a laugh."I kept telling both of you that it was a bad idea, but would either of you listen to me? Oh, nooo..." he chided his Elder and his protege' at the same time.

Grace sat perched on the side of Maxson's desk, watching their game and showing great verbal restraint. She had one knee drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around it, and the other foot hung off the side of the desk, swinging back and forth lazily.

Danse wasn't blind to the fact that occasionally the swinging foot would stop and rest against the top of Maxson's thigh, or that Maxson's hand would sometimes find itself on top of her foot, his thumb rubbing back and forth across her toes as he stared at the chessboard.

"She cheated," Maxson grumbled in reply to Danse's scolding, pointing his index finger at Grace without taking his eyes off the board.

"He moved at the last second," Grace shrugged innocently, watching the board too.

They had been saying this back and forth anytime Danse brought the subject up ever since they left Cade's office this afternoon.

Maxson's nose wasn't broken, like they had all feared, but it was badly bruised, and the chances of Arthur having at least one black eye by breakfast tomorrow morning were looking pretty solid.

All Cade could do was tape it lightly, and that tape annoying the hell out of Arthur.

"Well, I'm glad you both got it out of your system," Danse muttered truthfully.

He loved the constant banter both of them had with Grace in private, but things had gotten a bit heated and almost out of control today. Starting with the incident and breakfast this morning.

"If we're going to keep doing _this_ ," Danse said, pointing to all three of them, knowing the other two understood exactly what he meant, "then we have to be a bit more discreet."

"Agreed," Grace said quickly, "And, since the two of you see me as 'yours'," she smiled suggestively, "you have to bite your tongue sometimes and treat me like any other Knight."

Danse saw her toes poke the top of Author's thigh for emphasis before his hand closed over them, holding them still against his leg again.

"Mmm," Maxson hummed, taking a slow sip of his drink before continuing, "Grace, that thin line of action versus inaction is going to be on a case by case basis. But, you can also make Danse and I both a lot more comfortable with standing aside doing nothing, by pulling rank if and when you have to as a way to put an end to some of the bullshit."

She opened her mouth to reply, but Danse's hand knuckled up under her chin gently and closed it for her.

"He's right, Grace." Danse agreed. "You have the rank to end at least some of the crap you've been quietly putting up with. Use it."

"I just didn't want to have to go that route," she confessed quietly.

"I can definitely appreciate that," Maxson said, leaning back in his seat and rubbing the top of her foot again. "But if you aren't going to put your foot down," he playfully grabbed her foot as he spoke and dragged her toward him by it. "Then Danse is going to stop it when he sees it; I'm going stop it when I see it, and just accept the punches to the face."

Maxson suddenly frowned, pointing at his nose and then at Danse's unmarked faced and shrugging as if to ask; _What the fuck?_

Danse shot him a big shit eating grin in response.

"I can't believe she actually rocked you back a step," Danse laughed at the memory.

"I saw pretty little sparkles of light for 10 minutes afterward too," Maxson said, still pulling her to him a little at a time, by her ankle.

Grace let him drag her off the top of the desk and onto his lap, before speaking.

"You'll never underestimate me in a fight again, will you?" she asked as she landed in his lap.

"Nope, and I'll take extreme care to make sure you're on my side and not the enemy's" Maxson yawned, stretching his arms over his head, seemingly content that he had her in his lap now.

"But it's obvious that you can handle yourself, Grace. I really, really don't like the idea of someone walking over you that way. Why don't you just kick the crap out of the next asshat that tries it? I'm reasonably sure you won't be disciplined for it," he cleared his throat loudly before continuing, "by your superiors."

He moved to refill Danse's glass but the Paladin just shook his head, flipping his shot glass upside down on the desk top.

Maxson shrugged and refilled his own before stowing the bottle away for the night.

"You usually have one more for the road, Danse," Maxson said picking up his glass with a curious look at his friend.

Paladin Danse smiled as he stood up, "If I had one more for the road tonight, then I might be tempted to ask if I can stay for the show, and... three's a crowd."

"Or a really good time if you're open minded," Grace winked at him as Danse leaned down giving her a deep goodnight kiss as she still sat in Arthur's lap.

When he pulled back a little he waggled his eyebrows at her, kissed her forehead, and clapped Arthur on the back before leaving for his own quarters.

"Open minded, are you?" Arthur asked, pulling her closer to him, until she was against his groin.

"I guess the question is, are you?" She sighed, rocking her hips slightly to grind against him. Arthur looked down at where the heat of her body rubbed against his hardening cock.

"Mmhmm, I am," he replied, his eyes moving lazily from hers down to her lips and back again.

"Is that so?" she smiled back at him, scooting closer still and rocking against him harder this time.

"I don't think you could take on both of us... no at the same time, anyway." Maxson said, his hands finding her waist and pressing her down against him as he arched up slowly.

"Why is that?" she asked.

"We'd hurt you. Two big guys, one very, very sexy, but small woman." he said, running his hand up the insides of her thighs and back down again, still staring into her eyes.

Grace leaned up and kissed his cheek before moving to his ear and neck, nipping and sucking at the pulse point she found there.

"I told you I can handle whatever you've got to give me," she reminded him.

"I've yet to see it proved," he replied, with a smile.

Grace lowered her feet to the floor and stood up over his desk chair, unzipping her uniform and pulling it down her torso slowly, as Arthur watched.

When she had it to her waist, Arthur reached for her, only to have her step away quickly.

He leaned back in the chair and grinned, rubbing one hand down the tented front of his pants. He unzipped his own uniform all the way to the bottom and stood up, tossing his coat onto the love seat and shedding the uniform quickly.

He sat back in the wooden desk chair naked, and slowly stroked his cock as he watched her finish undressing. He might be the younger of the two, but he wasn't acting impatient at all. He was perfectly at ease sitting there watching her strip and stroking himself slowly. Grace could see he wasn't as thick as Danse, but he was at least two inches longer.

Grace sat down on the side of his bed, sliding her ass to the very edge of his mattress before laying back and spreading her lips open with one hand. Maxson stopped stroking and just squeezed his cock rhythmically as she started sliding a finger into herself with a soft sigh.

The wooden desk chair creaked as he moved out of it quickly, kneeling between her thighs in seconds.

"I've got something that will feel a lot better than just a finger," he groaned, smiling down at her. "But you'll have to ask for it nicely, Grace."

"Can I do what ever I want with it, if I ask nicely?" she said, looking at him through her lashes.

"If you're a very good girl, yes you can." Maxson said, enjoying this as much as she was, judging by how wet her pussy looked right in front of him.

"Can I put it anywhere I want to?" she asked, laying back on his bed and rubbing both nipples until the were achingly hard.

"Maybe..." Arthur said, leaning over her, his cock in hand.

"Can your dick touch your asshole?" she hummed at him and then gasped sharply as the head of his cock rubbed against her outer lips.

"I... What?" Maxson asked, not understanding.

"If it can you can go fuck yourself," she said sweetly, planting her foot in the middle of his chest and pushing him back on his ass in the floor.

Maxson blinked in surprise, then roared laughter. As he got up from the floor an unmistakable echo of laughter poured through the air vent by his bed.

"Shut up, Paladin!" Maxson shouted into the vent.

"Fuck, Grace!" Maxson said, still chuckling at her and shaking his head. He had been played.

She rolled over face down on his bed and lifted her hips up slightly.

"That's the idea, isn't it?" she asked looking over her shoulder at him with a sexy smile.

Maxson grabbed her hips, and buried himself in her in one swift stroke

"Harder, Arthur, please... please" she begged, rocking back against him until he dug his fingers into the flesh of her hips, giving her what she wanted.

Her soft whimpers matched the ragged grunts he couldn't hold in as he pounded her steadily. He slowed his pace, quietly soothing her when she whimpered again and leaned over her back to slide one hand between her thighs, his fingertips pressing gently against her clit as he sped up once more.

Her body clenched around him tightly, and he groaned at the feel. He stilled and kissed her back, following the slight indentation of her spine until her body calmed.

He noticed the hickey on her right shoulder, a token brand from Danse, and latched onto her left shoulder, marking her as half his.

When Grace began to move and squirm under him he pulled out slowly, pushing her shoulders to the mattress and stroking her back gently with his rough but gentle hands.

Arthur dropped to his knees, rubbing her round ass gently before slapping it just hard enough to sting and leave his hand print on her creamy skin.

"You do have a cute ass," he whispered, with an appreciative sigh.

Grace felt each of his hands on her, spreading her cheeks wide.

"So do you," she moaned back.

She gasped loudly when she felt his wet tongue plunge into her pussy with no warning.

Arthur ran the point of his tongue from her still tingling clit, between her wet folds before slowly circling her ass.

"Oh!" She gasped, the exclamation followed by a whimpered plea of his name.

"So you like this?" Maxson asked, swirling his tongue around her pink puckered hole again.

"Yes! Fuck... Yes!" She moaned, wriggling desperately back toward him.

He slipped one hand between her legs and found her clit with his fingertips, rubbing it very gently, as he tormented her with his tongue.

After another minute, Grace began to beg him and Arthur groaned inwardly.

"Fuck me, please. God, Arthur, Please! FUCK ME, Goddamn it!" Grace was almost screaming for him and he was afraid if he kept licking her he'd cum all over the floor where he knelt.

"I will if you keep your voice down," he said with a firm slap on her ass

"Yes... yes, God I want your cock.." she whimpered as he looked down at her on his bed.

He distinctly heard Danse's moan of 'Christ!" from the air vent by his bed.

He grabbed his throbbing cock, pressing against her asshole, gasping a quick breath when she shifted back against him eagerly.

"Take a slow deep breath for me," he whispered in her ear, as he pressed steadily into her. He didn't stop until he felt the head of his cock slip past the tight ring of muscle.

Grace exhaled slowly with a whimper that made Maxson jerk his hips forward.

"This is not your first rodeo, is it, cowboy?" She purred to him as he patiently waited for her to relax.

"No, ma'am. It is not." Maxson replied with a smile.

"I can tell, You know exactly what the hell you're doing," she moaned, pushing back against him

He reached for Grace and cupped his hands around the top of her shoulders. He gently ran his thumbs up the back of her neck still giving her time to get used to his size. A minute later he felt her body begin to relax and accept his cock. He started with small slow strokes. Two inches in slowly and then back out. Four inches in slowly, then back out. Grace moaned and squirmed, getting impatient at the pace.

"Arthur... please.." she whined in a whisper.

"Hold on, Grace, it gets rough from here on out," he said softly.

He slowly pulled out half way and then jerked her back against him by her shoulders, burying himself in her once more. The gentle slow paced of moments before was gone. He pounded into her as hard as he could, groaning deep in his throat every time she rocked her hips back to meet him.

7


	7. Round 7

Elder Maxson did his best to ignore the looks and gasps of surprise he received when he walked into the cafeteria with Danse the next morning. With one black eye, white medical tape across the bridge of his nose and another eye that was _almost_ as bad as the first, he painted quite the picture.

However, the limp was the icing on the proverbial cake.

It was his own fault. He had tried to show off a bit the night before with Grace, but had only ended up pulling a groin muscle in the process. He had decided afterward that it was almost worth it for the way she coddled and fussed over him. She gave amazing massages.

Danse would never let him hear the end of it, he was sure.

Grace began alternating nights between them and after a few days they fell into an easy comfortable rhythm. On one of Maxson's nights with Grace, Danse was surprised when she knocked on his door and asked him if she could come in.

He let her in concerned that something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" he asked as soon as the door closed behind her.

"Can... Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked, blushing slightly.

"Isn't this your night with Arthur?" He asked in confusion.

"For sex, yes... But I sleep better next to you." She answered.

He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face.

"You sleep better next to me?" He repeated.

"You're warmer and he steals all the covers," Grace whined.

Danse chuckled as he tucked her into his bed and snuggled close behind her.

"Oh, yeah. This is nice." he purred against her ear contentedly.

"Yes it is." she sighed, wriggling back against him tighter.

"This is something I need that only you can give me."

"You and Arthur don't snuggle like this?" He asked, a bit surprised.

"No. He's nothing but sex. We had that talk on the first night."

"Then what am I?" Danse asked in confusion.

"Everything else," she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

Those two words kept Danse awake for several hours.

Early one morning a few days later with breakfast trays in hand, Danse and Arthur made their way to their table and sat down. Maxson saw Grace come in and had to bite back a smile. She collected her own tray, chatting amiably with the cook staff on duty and started looking for a seat.

The mess hall was crowded this morning and as she made her way through the maze of bodies something happened.

She was tripped.

Never the less, the entire cafeteria saw her stumble, saw the tray fly into the air.

For one second it looked like chaos but then Grace, standing on one foot, caught the tray, wobbling precariously. She still ended up covered in hot coffee and food.

Maxson and Danse were both looking at her now, as was everyone else in the room.

Her eyes caught Maxson's and he gave an almost imperceptible nod. Danse was watching her just as hard, his lips moving as he mumbled, "Come on, come on, come on," to either himself or Maxson.

Grace sighed, hanging her head in resignation then set the tray down on a nearby table.

She lifted one foot and slid off her boot before doing the same with the other. Her attention was on the group at the table next to where she had tripped.

Arthur and Danse both stretched upward in their seats to get a better view.

Barefoot now, Grace faced the group at the table.

She never gave a word of warning, her foot just swung in an arc connecting loudly with one of the seated men at the table.

He rose with a muttered curse, but she was already stepping back, her feet seeming to move just above the floor.

Captain Kells rose at that point and Arthur knew the stern commander of the vessel would put in an end to this.

Maxson grabbed the spoon from his tray, licked it clean quickly and hefted the slight weight between his fingers. He flipped the spoon through the air to smack neatly against the back of Lancer-Captain Kells' head.

The captain turned to see what who the culprit was and saw Maxson shaking his head and pointing back to his seat. With a look of stark confusion, the Captain sat back down.

Danse's eyes had never left Grace as she fought. Barefoot and with no armor she was still fearless. His heart clinched as he watched her. Small, fearless... beautiful.

In the end she took down all three of them, while Maxson and Danse made sure no one moved to intervene.

Finally the last one stayed on the ground rather than get up and face her yet again.

"That's quite enough bullshit, isn't it? The harder you push the harder I will push back! I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to stay. You can not scare me off and it only wastes your time and energy to try. So if we are quite finished with your juvenile games you will clean this floor until it is spotless, initiates, is that perfectly clear?!" That voice, Danse thought. That was the voice he loved. The viking shield-maiden.

Danse and Maxson both struggled to keep straight faces and appear neutral. It wasn't easy for either one of them when they wanted to cheer her. Both of them snapped their eyes back to their plates, using only peripheral vision to watch her now.

To a light smattering of applause Grace walked out of the cafeteria to change her clothes.

Danse wolfed the rest of his food and walked with long strides to catch up to her outside of the female barracks.

There were far too many people around to do what he wanted, so he simply said, "My quarters, now," as softly as he could.

He paced in his small room as he waited for Grace to show, when she walked in the door with Maxson behind her, he smiled broadly. Only when the door was closed and locked did he speak.

"I am so fucking proud of you." He said breathlessly, stepping forward to hug her tightly, picking her up off the floor to swing in his arms.

"As am I!" Maxson said, trying to keep his voice low, but planting a loud dry kiss on her cheek. He moved close behind her and embraced her back as Danse held her against his body.

Still feeling a charge from the adrenaline Grace reached up and grabbed the hook on the front of Danse's uniform and jerked him down to her level for a kiss.

His mouth covered hers hotly as he moved to grasp the back of her head in his hand.

Instead he found his fingers wound into the top of Arthur's hair and pulled a handful lightly. Arthur gasped loudly just as Grace began to slowly grind her ass against his groin, feeling him harden behind her.

Danse reached for the front of her uniform and yanked the zipper down quickly, ducking his head to lick and suck on her nipples.

He saw Arthur's fingers digging hard into Grace's hips as he ground against her ass.

Arthur helped Danse pull the tight black and olive uniform from her body, kissing and nipping at the skin that was exposed bit by bit.

Danse dropped to his knees in front of her and helped her step out of the uniform. He pulled the thin gauzy material of her panties aside and licked the moisture from her soft curls with a sigh.

Arthur was shedding his own uniform and freeing his hard cock for Grace's questing hands. He grunted in satisfaction when her fingers closed around him.

Danse lifted her left leg, putting her thigh over his shoulder as Arthur pulled her back against his body for support.

Grace keened at the feel of Danse's tongue nudging his way between her folds.

"Fuck this," Danse said abruptly and picked Grace up, carrying her straight to his bed and laying her down gently.

He slid her ass to the edge of the mattress and dropped to his knees over her delta. He pulled a leg over each arm and buried his face in her once more.

Arthur climbed onto the bed completely naked now and angled the head of his cock toward her lips.

Grace grabbed his cock in one hand, licking and swirling her tongue around him until he gasped her name.

Danse was licking slowly at her clit, but intently watching her take Arthur's cock into her mouth eagerly. It was almost too much and his cock throbbed painfully and insistently in his pants. He opened his uniform and pulled himself out, stroking lightly.

Arthur's hips were moving back and forth slowly as Grace made him whimper and sigh, one hand caressing his balls as she took more and more of him into her mouth.

"Unnh," Arthur moaned his head lolling back on his shoulders. "That feels so good."

Grace spread her legs even wider and squirmed under Danse's tongue, driving him crazy.

He stood up on his knees and lined his cock up to her perfectly before thrusting himself inside her.

Grace gasped sharply around his cock, just as the elder turned his head to watch Danse enter her.

Arthur reached out with one hand and lay it on Danse's shoulder, completely amazed when the Paladin leaned into his touch.

Arthur moved his hand from Danse's shoulder to Grace's mound, letting his finger slip between the wet folds to rub gently at her clit.

She bucked hard under them in response.

Danse watched Arthur's fingers tease Grace just to the edge before backing off and matching Danse's rhythm again.

"I want both of you in me," Grace moaned eagerly.

Danse stopped and Arthur looked down at her face in awe.

"Are you sure about this?" Danse asked softly.

"Yes, I am" Grace said with a nod of her head. "I want both of you inside me."

They both stared at her hotly for a minute before glancing at each other.

Danse finally spoke. "I'm willing to try it. It's something I've never considered before, but..."

Maxson nodded in agreement. "Same with me. I've never... but, it does sound.. interesting," he ended with a chuckle.

Grace took the lead, positioning Danse on the bed, his knees bent and feet on the floor. His ass right to the edge of the bed.

He gasped softly as she mounted him, settling her heat down on his cock slowly. Once she had him fully sheathed inside her she bent forward to lay on Danse's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back and holding her tenderly.

"Danse?" Arthur asked, glancing around, "Do you have anything I could use to..."

"Top desk drawer," Danse replied, lifting his chin in that direction.

Arthur came back with a small tin of petroleum jelly and stroked some onto his cock until it was slick and shiny, Grace and Danse both watching him as he did it.

"Deep breath, Grace and I'll go as slow as possible." Arthur said softly.

She nodded, turning to look at Danse. She could see the concern and the desire swirling in his eyes.

"If this hurts at all, tell us," he said firmly. Grace nodded and leaned a bit closer to kiss his lips slowly.

Arthur pressed himself against her gently, applying more pressure slowly and steadily until she opened for him with a long gasp.

"It's ok Grace..." Danse whispered against her lips.

In truth it was more than okay. Danse could feel the head of Arthur's hard cock pressing firmly against the base of his own.

Arthur stopped just past the tight ring of muscle that gripped him and waited. He could definitely feel Danse inside her. The Paladin's thicker cock was making Grace twice as tight. Arthur let his breath out slowly as he felt Grace begin to relax.

"How are you doing, Grace?" he asked his voice thick and gruff.

"So far, so good.. But oh my God. I can't even tell you what it feels like." she moaned.

"As long as it's not hurting you," Danse insisted. "If it does, we stop, ok?"

Grace nodded silently and forced herself to relax a little more.

Arthur began pushing the rest of his length into her. He would not have been able to express it either. The feeling of Danse's throbbing cock against his own, the heat and snug fit of Grace's body, it was all very intense.

Finally Arthur was seated all the way into her, breathing a little faster than normal.

Grace had her eyes closed with such a look of ecstasy that it made Danse swallow hard. He wasn't sure how they would do this, but just being buried inside her with Arthur was breathtaking.

Arthur began to slowly rock his hips in and out of Grace.

She threw her head back and whimpered, "oh fuck... Oh,.. so good!"

Danse couldn't stay still even though his movement was limited he began to flex his muscles, arching up into her, making his cock twitch inside her body.

Grace moaned softly, continuously as they both moved inside her.

Arthur gently increased his pace, it was still slow, but it felt incredible to all three of them.

"Fuck..." Grace moaned a moment later, shaking her head from side to side. "I'm going to cum soon."

"And this is bad?" Danse asked beneath her, still tightening his muscles up just enough to move inside her.

"Mmm... I just.. didn't want to, yet..."

Arthur lay his chest against her back, still working his slick cock in and out of her very slowly. "I might not be too far behind you," he chuckled softly. "This.. is all.. very ...exciting."

Danse nodded vigorously. "Yeah.. You could say that," he groaned.

Every single stroke Arthur made in and out of Grace's body forced his cock to rub all along the underside of Danse's own straining erection. That combined with the wet heat that was Grace meant Danse was very close to unraveling himself.

"Faster..." Grace asked breathlessly.

Arthur complied, rocking his hips into her with a greater sense of urgency.

"Grace, Arthur... " Danse groaned, not really needing to say more.

"Fuck! Yes, Yes! Yes!" Grace chanted, keeping pace with Arthur's rhythm until her words ran into one long cry.

"Oh.. Oh SHIT!" Danse cried out, his body arching, his cock throbbing against Arthur as he started to come.

It was too much. Her body squeezing, Danse's cock throbbing and jerking hard against him. Two more quick strokes and his own release hit him hard enough to make Arthur's ears ring.

All three of them lay together, shaking uncontrollably.

"Oh, dear God." Grace sighed against Danse's chest. "That was... Just..."

"Shhh" Danse said softly, cupping her head to his chest affectionately.

"Yeah..." Arthur agreed, slumped over both of them.'

They stayed that way for several minutes before recovering enough comp0sure to function. Arthur very gently eased out of Grace's body, leaving her laying against Danse's chest, where he still held her gently, but closely.

As he cleaned himself up Arthur watched the two of them in his peripheral vision. Grace still lay on his chest, kissing him softly and talking in hushed tones.

 _You would have to be blind or an idiot not to see it_ , he thought to himself.

He put his uniform back on and waited until Danse and Grace had gotten cleaned up and dressed once more.

Arthur hugged Grace tight, giving her a kiss on the cheek and one on the lips before she left Danse's room.

Danse himself sat silently on the edge of his bed after she had left gathering his strength to get dressed again.

"Chess? My room? Seven pm tonight?" Arthur asked once Danse was covered.

"I'll be there," Danse nodded with a grin.

That evening, down by two games and half a bottle of Bourbon Maxson finally broached the subject on his mind.

"Danse? Are you in love with her?"

"I... don't know. I might be? I've never been in love so I don't really know, but I know I feel something for her. Something I've never felt before with anyone."

"Well, she's in love with you, and if you don't act on that I'll lose every ounce of respect I have for you. She is a... remarkable woman, you know it. To be honest, I feel a bit jealous that she fell for you and not me. But it won't be long at all till the whole damn division knows about her. When they do, the marriage and betrothal offers will pour in. I won't be able to stop them and as her Elder I'll be expected to help her make a suitable match."

Arthur watched his friend closely as he explained all this in unnecessary detail. Danse knew the Brotherhood by-laws as well as Arthur did. What he noticed was the way Danse's hands clenched tighter and tighter on the fabric of his fatigues, twisting desperately as he listened.

"I would much rather see her engaged or married to you than to someone else."

"Yeah.." Was all Danse muttered in response, his eyes lost in thought.

"I can't do it myself, you know the West Coast Elders would never accept her, the only thing I could do would be to name her as a paramour-"

"Don't!" Danse growled fiercely. He knew what it meant. A paramour of the elder was literally and figuratively untouchable by any other man in the Brotherhood.

"Then do something, Danse." Arthur said firmly, "And do it soon."


	8. Round 8 - Final Round

Danse spent the last week trying to sort out his feelings. This was so much easier when it was just lust he felt for Grace and not something more. Something that made his heart ache every time he thought about her.

Grace still came to his room and curled up safe, warm and oh so familiar in his bed after her nights with Arthur. A fact that was starting to irritate Danse more than he let on.

Her nights with him had changed as well. Often they would sit and read together or listen to the radio in a comfortable silence, broken by the occasional word or question from the other. Once the lights were out and they nestled together in his bed, making love, and yes, that's what he thought of it as now, would happen more often than not. Slowly, tenderly, comfortably.

Afterward he'd lay there with the sweat drying on his body and her head curled into him as if molded to fit and count the minutes, sometimes even seconds, until daylight would steal her away from his side again.

He couldn't for the life of him figure out how this had happened, nor could he imagine what his hollow existence would be like if it ended.

But in the back of his mind were Arthur's words. 'Do something, and do it soon'.

So Danse took the biggest chance of his life.

He stepped out of his power armor at the end of the narrow Forecastle of the Prydwen and waited for Grace. He'd sent a hand written message to her with one of the squires before breakfast. He knew she would come. He watched the sky fading from purples and pinks to indigo and the blues of a new day while he waited.

He tried not to fidget but still paced back and forth while he waited for her, repeating over and over in his mind what he wanted to say. What he _had_ to say. The words he needed to tell her.

When she came to him everything he had practiced and rehearsed vanished like shadows before the coming sun. All he could see was Grace. How small she always looked standing before him. How much he wanted to hold her, even now, and how much he would give to keep her safe.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked with a casual glance around at their location.

Danse shook his head. "Not Sir, Not today, Grace. I need you to just be you, and for me to just be Danse. No Sir, no Paladin, no Knight... Just Grace and Danse, ok?" His words rushed out and he winced, wishing he could pull them back and organize them into something better.

"Alright, Danse" she answered, her eyes showing a hint of confusion. Searching his face. "What's going on?"

"This wasn't supposed to happen." He said with a weak smile. "Not to me, anyway. I've never thought of myself as being lucky, so I never considered the possibility..."

He was rambling and he knew it. His neck and ears burned and he knew that hated blush was creeping up his face even as he tried to talk to her.

"I... Do you remember when we met at Cambridge?" he asked, trying a different tact.

"I do," Grace chuckled. "You left one hell of an impression on me,"

"So did you. You impressed me there, and at ArcJet, and on every single mission we've done together since then. Grace, I haven't stopped being impressed with you since that day." His heart was beating faster and even with the constant breeze that blew here on the Forecastle, he was sweating.

"I feel that way about you too," she said softly, her blue eyes watching him carefully.

He sighed, "I can... stand here all day and try to say this perfectly..., but it won't ever happen. I.. just need.. to try and say it."

She waited, looking at him patiently, knowingly. His mouth is suddenly too dry and his tongue too thick, and now he has to say the words.

"Grace... I'm... in love with you," he closed his eyes, his heart hammering inside his ribs. He waited for her reaction.

Time slows for him, the seconds barely passing as he stands with his eyes closed, his fists clenched and the whole of his life seemed to balance in that narrow window of time.

Until at last she speaks.

"I know, Danse. I've loved you for a while now, but I wasn't sure.. how you felt. I thought if I just gave you enough time..." It's a soft gasp that makes him open his eyes at last. She has tears on her cheeks and he doesn't believe the wind has anything to do with it.

"You.. love me?" he whispered hoarsely, he can't take his eyes off hers. His voice has completely failed him and in truth his knees feel weak enough to dump him on the walkway, but he wants to know that his ears are working, at least.

He takes a stumbling, jolting step closer to her, and blinks. She's nodding up at him. She's smiling and it feels like his heart will just burst from his chest.

"Grace..." he croaked, he can't bring himself to ask her to say it. But he wants it, needs it, has to hear it.

"Of course I love you, Danse!" she laughed up at him. "I've just been waiting on you to figure it out, you big dope!"

He groaned deep in his chest, and grabbed her. He wrapped her tight in his arms and squeezed her, even as a part of himself yells to not crush her to death.

"I don't know how or when," he babbled to her, wrapped in his arms, tight against his chest, "all I know is that I can't stand the thought of not seeing you, holding you, loving you. Please Gracie... Will you marry me? I'm... I... I've never done this. I'm probably doing everything wrong... I'm sorry. I just.. need you! I can't stand the thought of not being with you."

He looked into her eyes and she's crying now, her cheeks red from the wind here on the forecastle. "Yes.. Danse, I would be honored-"

He crushed her to him again and his mouth covers hers in a kiss. His tears are falling freely and mixing with her own.

He pulled back and looked at her, laughing, crying.

"Yes?" he asks, he has to be sure.

"Yes!" she says back firmly.

He draws in the deepest breath he can and yells "YES!" at the top of his lungs to the sky above. He feels like he's dreaming but not even his dreams are this happy.

"I love you, Danse," she says, laughing up at him even as his ears ring and he feels lightheaded with joy and relief.

"I love you, Gracie. So damn much." He kissed her again, gentler this time.

"Grace, do you trust me?" He asked as they break the kiss.

"Of course I do, with my life," she nods back at him.

He steps into his power armor and turns to her, holding out one hand.

She doesn't hesitate at all when takes her hands and wraps them around the two rail bars on the front of his power armor.

"Grace, I swear to you, by everything I hold dear and sacred. I swear by my name, by my honor, by my life, by my blood, and by Eternal Steel, that I will never let any harm come to you. I swear I will love you and no other for all of my life. If you will have me in the same way."

He stepped back slowly as he spoke, picking her up in his arms.

"I swear, Danse. On my honor, on my name, on my blood. I will love you and no other for all of my life."

Her eyes were locked with his and as always, she is fearless.

In that second he knows just how right this is.

He leaned back further, watching her eyes until together they start to fall.

He never takes his eyes off hers and he could never forget the look she gave him all the way down.

Fearless, trusting, and loved.

He lets the suit turn them upright at the very last minute and they hit the ground by the airport helipad with an earth shattering thud.

Danse stills held her safe in his arms.

He leaned in and kissed her one more time, as she giggled.

He refused to put her down.

He keeps her in his arms, to the laughter and loud applause of their Brothers and Sisters as he walks through the airport. She rides on his lap back up to the Prydwen, where once again he carries her in his arms onto the deck.

He nods to Lancer-Captain Kells, as if it's the most natural thing in the world to carry a giggling blushing woman across the deck of his ship.

He walked up to the command deck door and one of the Knights on guard duty opens it for him so Danse can continue on to his destination.

If Maxson hears the smattering of laughter or cheers from the crew he doesn't pay it any attention, and he stands looking out the windows until Danse is right behind him.

"Elder Maxson?" Danse says, not even trying to keep a straight face. "I jumped off the Forecastle with this, so now it's mine. I claim her."

Maxson turns around and takes in the sight of Grace, still grinning and carried in his arms.

"So you two took the plunge?" he asks, with an appraising glance.

"Yes, Sir. We did." Danse beams back at him.

"Then it sounds like we have a wedding to plan." Maxson smiled in approval.

5


	9. Epilogue

Danse finished taping his hands and pulled on his gloves. He stood, rolling his shoulders slightly and watching Arthur wait for him inside the ring.

"Married life seems to suit you well," Arthur said, shifting his feet quickly on the mat.

"Yes it does." Danse grinned, stepping into the ring and facing his friend. "She's good for me."

"I could see that long before you could," Arthur laughed, taking a quick right jab at Danse as they began to spar.

"Is that why you stopped screwing her and you two just ended up spending time playing chess and talking in your room at night?"

Arthur dropped his guard for a second and Danse landed a good solid blow to his ribs.

"She told you, huh?" Arthur asked with a tense grunt and stepping back quickly.

"Of course she did. She tells me a lot of things. Like how good you are at..um.. taking her from behind.. She says if I ever want to try it I have to take lessons from you on how it's done." Danse shifted his weight quickly, avoiding the uppercut that would have rattled his teeth.

Maxson blushed and kept moving.

"Which made both of us wonder... How did you get so good at it?" Danse said quietly, pressing his attack to Arthur's left side.

"She says someone _had_ to have taught you."

"Someone did, ok?" Arthur said a bit too quickly.

"Someone male?" Danse asked, coming to a stop in the middle of the ring.

"Yes." Arthur replied simply, stopping as well.

"That's why you only screwed her once and.. that way?" Danse let his arms hang at his sides, trying to figure all of this out.

"Look," Arthur sighed quietly. "One, yes. She does have a really cute ass. Two, yeah... I um, like anal and honestly. I felt like the rest of her belonged to you. Even back then. Three, she-"

"She thinks you actually prefer men," Danse said softly with a raised brow. "Is she right?"

Arthur stared evenly at him and took a long time before replying.

"Yes. I do. I always have. But-"

"Do you want to fuck me, Arthur?" Danse asked point blank.

"I.. Y-Y-yes I do. I have for a very long time. But... what will Grace say about it?"

"Whose idea do you think this was? She and I agree that you're welcome in our bed from time to time. We don't want to share it with you every night, but occasionally. Hell yes. We both care about you. We both find you attractive, so..." Danse let his words trail off there.

"Then I would be happy to join you both.. from time to time." Arthur grinned, licking his lips.

"Good!" Danse grinned broadly, "Seven o'clock tonight. Bring the Bourbon and the chessboard, we've got the lube."

~end

2


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